Data / Rankings / Foreign-born population share / US states

US states by foreign-born share of the population

California had the highest foreign-born share of the population of 51 states in 2021, at 26.5%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 1.6%. The median was 7.4% and the figure for the United States was 13.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest26.5California
Lowest1.6West Virginia
Median7.451 states
United States13.6History

All states, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

CaliforniaCalifornia: 26.5 %26.5New JerseyNew Jersey: 22.9 %22.9New YorkNew York: 22.5 %22.5FloridaFlorida: 21 %21NevadaNevada: 19.2 %19.2HawaiiHawaii: 18.2 %18.2MassachusettsMassachusetts: 17.3 %17.3TexasTexas: 17 %17MarylandMaryland: 15.4 %15.4ConnecticutConnecticut: 14.8 %14.8WashingtonWashington: 14.7 %14.7Rhode IslandRhode Island: 14.3 %14.3IllinoisIllinois: 14.1 %14.1District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 13.5 %13.5ArizonaArizona: 13 %13VirginiaVirginia: 12.6 %12.6GeorgiaGeorgia: 10.3 %10.3OregonOregon: 9.8 %9.8DelawareDelaware: 9.6 %9.6ColoradoColorado: 9.5 %9.5New MexicoNew Mexico: 9.2 %9.2UtahUtah: 8.5 %8.5MinnesotaMinnesota: 8.5 %8.5North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 8.2 %8.2AlaskaAlaska: 7.9 %7.9NebraskaNebraska: 7.4 %7.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 7.1 %7.1KansasKansas: 7 %7MichiganMichigan: 6.9 %6.9OklahomaOklahoma: 6.1 %6.1New HampshireNew Hampshire: 6 %6IdahoIdaho: 5.8 %5.8IowaIowa: 5.5 %5.5IndianaIndiana: 5.4 %5.4TennesseeTennessee: 5.3 %5.3South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 5.2 %5.2WisconsinWisconsin: 5 %5ArkansasArkansas: 4.9 %4.9OhioOhio: 4.8 %4.8North DakotaNorth Dakota: 4.4 %4.4VermontVermont: 4.4 %4.4LouisianaLouisiana: 4.2 %4.2MissouriMissouri: 4.2 %4.2KentuckyKentucky: 4.1 %4.1South DakotaSouth Dakota: 3.8 %3.8MaineMaine: 3.6 %3.6AlabamaAlabama: 3.5 %3.5WyomingWyoming: 3.4 %3.4MississippiMississippi: 2.3 %2.3MontanaMontana: 2.2 %2.2West VirginiaWest Virginia: 1.6 %1.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2021 (%)
1California26.5
2New Jersey22.9
3New York22.5
4Florida21
5Nevada19.2
6Hawaii18.2
7Massachusetts17.3
8Texas17
9Maryland15.4
10Connecticut14.8
11Washington14.7
12Rhode Island14.3
13Illinois14.1
14District of Columbia13.5
15Arizona13
16Virginia12.6
17Georgia10.3
18Oregon9.8
19Delaware9.6
20Colorado9.5
21New Mexico9.2
22Utah8.5
23Minnesota8.5
24North Carolina8.2
25Alaska7.9
26Nebraska7.4
27Pennsylvania7.1
28Kansas7
29Michigan6.9
30Oklahoma6.1
31New Hampshire6
32Idaho5.8
33Iowa5.5
34Indiana5.4
35Tennessee5.3
36South Carolina5.2
37Wisconsin5
38Arkansas4.9
39Ohio4.8
40North Dakota4.4
41Vermont4.4
42Louisiana4.2
43Missouri4.2
44Kentucky4.1
45South Dakota3.8
46Maine3.6
47Alabama3.5
48Wyoming3.4
49Mississippi2.3
50Montana2.2
51West Virginia1.6

Other periods

About this ranking

People who were not US citizens at birth, as a percentage of the total population. Includes naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, temporary migrants and unauthorized immigrants. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Based on place of birth, not nationality: a naturalized citizen counts as foreign born, and people born in Puerto Rico, the US island areas or abroad to American parents count as native. Not comparable with foreign_population_share, which counts foreign nationals in Spain and the EU. Calculated from counts in ACS table B05002, which are stored as inputs.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which state has the highest foreign-born share of the population?

California, with 26.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest foreign-born share of the population?

West Virginia, with 1.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Foreign-born population share: other rankings

US states: more rankings